Ryan Tam1, Kathryn L Beck2, Melinda M Manore3, Janelle Gifford4,5, Victoria M Flood4,5,6, Helen O'Connor4,5. 1. The University of Sydney, Faculty of Health Sciences, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia. ryan.tam@sydney.edu.au. 2. School of Sport Exercise and Nutrition, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand. 3. School of Biological and Population Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA. 4. The University of Sydney, Faculty of Health Sciences, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia. 5. The University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre, Camperdown, NSW, Australia. 6. Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A range of nutrition education strategies are used to assist athletes to improve nutrition knowledge. Evaluation of nutrition education interventions guides the delivery of efficacious nutrition education for athletes. AIM: Our aim was to systematically review sport/general nutrition education interventions delivered to athletes, and to evaluate their effectiveness. METHODS: A search was conducted using terms related to nutrition knowledge, athletes, education, and intervention. Included studies had to be conducted in athletes (all calibres), use a scored nutrition knowledge assessment tool, and measure knowledge before and after a nutrition education intervention. Peer-reviewed and unpublished theses were included. RESULTS: Thirty-two manuscripts (randomised controlled trial, n = 13; single-arm pre/post design, n = 19) met the inclusion criteria. Participants (n = 2180; mean age 17.4 ± 1.7 years) were mostly female (66.1%), university-level (56.3%) athletes based in the US (75%). Comparison of different education methods was limited since the majority of interventions (n = 28/36, 77.8%) used face-to-face education. Most intervention conditions (n = 19) had a total contact time of < 300 min (5 h). The majority of interventions (n = 30, 85.7%) reported significant knowledge improvement, with a mean increase of 16.1 ± 0.7% (mean effect size 1.72; range 0.4-17.1). Only 15.6% of studies used well-validated knowledge assessment tools (more than three types of validity or reliability testing). CONCLUSIONS: Most interventions reported a significant improvement in nutrition knowledge. Unfortunately, the wide range of knowledge assessment tools with limited validation, and the predominant use of face-to-face interventions, prohibits identification of the most effective modality and dose for nutrition education in athletes.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: A range of nutrition education strategies are used to assist athletes to improve nutrition knowledge. Evaluation of nutrition education interventions guides the delivery of efficacious nutrition education for athletes. AIM: Our aim was to systematically review sport/general nutrition education interventions delivered to athletes, and to evaluate their effectiveness. METHODS: A search was conducted using terms related to nutrition knowledge, athletes, education, and intervention. Included studies had to be conducted in athletes (all calibres), use a scored nutrition knowledge assessment tool, and measure knowledge before and after a nutrition education intervention. Peer-reviewed and unpublished theses were included. RESULTS: Thirty-two manuscripts (randomised controlled trial, n = 13; single-arm pre/post design, n = 19) met the inclusion criteria. Participants (n = 2180; mean age 17.4 ± 1.7 years) were mostly female (66.1%), university-level (56.3%) athletes based in the US (75%). Comparison of different education methods was limited since the majority of interventions (n = 28/36, 77.8%) used face-to-face education. Most intervention conditions (n = 19) had a total contact time of < 300 min (5 h). The majority of interventions (n = 30, 85.7%) reported significant knowledge improvement, with a mean increase of 16.1 ± 0.7% (mean effect size 1.72; range 0.4-17.1). Only 15.6% of studies used well-validated knowledge assessment tools (more than three types of validity or reliability testing). CONCLUSIONS: Most interventions reported a significant improvement in nutrition knowledge. Unfortunately, the wide range of knowledge assessment tools with limited validation, and the predominant use of face-to-face interventions, prohibits identification of the most effective modality and dose for nutrition education in athletes.
Authors: Sarah Jenner; Regina Belski; Brooke Devlin; Aaron Coutts; Thomas Kempton; Adrienne Forsyth Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-15 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Silvia Sánchez-Díaz; Javier Yanci; Daniel Castillo; Aaron T Scanlan; Javier Raya-González Journal: Nutrients Date: 2020-11-28 Impact factor: 5.717